Oh ... Really?

Category: Our World

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

An Experiment in Socialism

Socialism seems to be at the forefront of discussion topics at the moment. It also seems that there is a wide variety of what people think socialism is. Most really have no clue. But the following tale sums it up fairly nicely, in terms most people can understand ... even those that are fervently in favor of a socialist government.

Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign the read "Vote Obama, I need the money." I laughed.

Once in the restaurant my server had on a "Obama 08" tie, again I laughed--just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

May have to try this next time I'm out on the town. And be packing I might add.

Now just imagine, instead of a merely curious, experimental lunch diner, a waitress and a homeless guy, this scenario played out on a daily basis, but with the federal government, hard-working taxpayers and lazy do-nothings playing these roles respectively ... and with YOU being one of the hard-working tax payers. Still think socialism is such a great idea?

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Global Warming Fails to Deliver

This whole Gerbil Worming, err ... Gargle Warning. umm ... Global Warming (yeah, that's the ticket!) thing that Al Gore invented would be a bit more convincing if they would get the story straight. And maybe use real scientific facts. Or, heaven forbid, leave politics entirely out of it ...

Even before Katrina and her pals roared ashore one after the other in the summer of 2005, we were getting dire warnings that the evil Global Warming would be causing more and stronger storms in coming years.

Hurricanes bring winds and slashing rains that flood streets, flatten homes, and leave survivors struggling to pick up the pieces. But has global warming given the storms an added punch, making the aftereffects more dreadful?

According to hurricane historian Jay Barnes of Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina, ocean heat is the key ingredient for hurricane formation. More heat could "generate more storms and more intense hurricanes," he said.

Most of the increase in ocean temperature that feeds more intense hurricanes is a result of human-induced global warming, says a study that one researcher says "closes the loop" between climate change and powerful storms like Katrina.

A series of studies over the past year or so have shown an increase in the power of hurricanes in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, a strengthening that storm experts say is tied to rising sea-surface temperatures.

Prior to the summer of 2006, we were given numerous dire warnings that the upcoming hurricane season would be the Worst. Hurricane. Season. EVER! The result of those warning was a sharp spike in gasoline prices, insurance premiums and housing materials. The season actually brought us 9 named storms, with Alberto and Ernesto hitting shore with 35 mph winds, bringing only minimal damages. Then again, for the 2007 hurricane season, we heard the same scary warnings, that THIS, by golly, would be the WORSTEST hurricane season ever! And it's all because of that Gargoyle Winning ... err, Global Warming.

Lo, behold:

As the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season officially came to a close on November 30, with some fanfare with Olga past the end of the season into December, NOAA scientists are now carefully reviewing a set of dynamic weather patterns that yielded lower-than-expected hurricane activity across the Atlantic Basin.

WTF? But you guys PROMISED!!!

"Hurricane season outlooks are useless" says Stu Ostro. (I like this guy, he gets all cynical and jaded too!)

NO!! You don't say! Really?

So, Al Gore and his Global Warming machine failed to deliver, the eastern seaboard of the US remains intact, Florida has not been blown off to the Land of Oz and New Orleans remains (mostly) dry. So, what now guys?

This is just priceless ...

Contrary to many previous reports, global warming could reduce the number of hurricanes that strike the United States, according to a new study.

The work is the latest in a contentious scientific debate over how human-induced global warming might affect the intensity and frequency of hurricanes.

In the study, researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Miami in Florida link warming oceans to increased vertical wind shear in the Atlantic Ocean near the United States.

Wind shear—a change in upper-level wind speed or direction—makes it hard for hurricanes to form, strengthen, and stay active.

With every degree Celsius that the oceans warm, the wind shear increases by up to 10 miles (16 kilometers) an hour, said lead study author Chunzai Wang, a physical oceanographer at NOAA.

So that means "global warming may decrease the likelihood of hurricanes making landfall in the United States," according to the study authors.

Emphasis added.

So the earth may be getting a little warmer these days (I am old enough, however, to recall the fearmongering of the 70s wherein an impending ice age was being forecast, so color me skeptical, for sure) ... I have not seen where it has been proven that this is 1. Out of the ordinary, in that the earth has cyclical variations in mean temperature, 2. That it is caused by humans, 3. That humans have the ability to reverse a warming trend, and 4. That warming is a *bad* thing.

Now, it's a cold night tonight. I am going to go turn up the thermostat, then take a long, hot shower, and then climb into a toasty warm heated waterbed. Bring on the warming!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

A Question of Priorities

BREAKING NEWS: Local newspaper receives threatening letter, along with several other newspapers and an investment firm in New York. Newspaper editor reacts with immediate and profound concern ....
for the right of his employees to NOT cooperate with the FBI in the investigation.

The FBI wants to fingerprint some News Sentinel reporters and editors as part of an investigation into a batch of threatening letters sent to newspapers around the country.
...

The letters, apparently identical and sent around the same time from the same place, make vague threats involving the New York-based investment firm Goldman Sachs. Other papers that received the letters include the Caller-Times in Corpus Christi, Texas, the Idaho Statesman and the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind.

...

“Goldman Sachs,” the letter reads. “Hundreds will die. We are inside. You cannot stop us.”

The letter, written in red ink on lined paper, bore the signature, “A.Q.U.S.A.” It’s not clear what the initials stood for.

...

Now the FBI wants the fingerprints of anyone who touched either document, which will allow authorities to distinguish recipients’ prints from others that might be present on the letter and envelope.

...

News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy said the paper will cooperate with authorities but won’t force anyone to be fingerprinted.

“We certainly want to support the investigation, but on the issue of fingerprints, it’s between those individuals and the authorities to decide how that should be handled,” he said. “The newspaper will reimburse any of our employees who retain legal counsel.”

OK ... this is disturbing for a couple of reasons. Let us review ...

"Vague threats" = “Hundreds will die. We are inside. You cannot stop us.” Saying they are going to kill hundreds of people is not a "vague threat" ... seems pretty clear to me.

“A.Q.U.S.A.” It’s not clear what the initials stood for. Really? Not clear? Seriously? Has this reporter been living in a cave somewhere for the last 7 years? Or is it an acute case of SFB?

Then last, but certainly not least ... the appearance that the newspaper is more concerned about their employees being fingerprinted by the FBI, than in assisting the FBI in conducting their investigation more efficiently ... WTF? Seriously, What. The. Freak. is WRONG with you pinheads?

Let's go over this step by step ... you were sent threatening letters. The FBI wants to find out who sent them. Some of your employees handled this letter, therefore their fingerprints may be on the letter. In order to achieve their goal of finding the bad guys, the FBI will be lifting ALL of the prints off of the letter and will be tracking down who they belong to. If some of those prints just so happen to belong to one of those employees of yours, and you have encouraged them to refuse to be printed for the purposes of elimination, the FBI will waste time and effort in figuring this out, while they could be tracking down the actual sender of the letter ... aka, the bad guys.

But nooooo! Asserting one's right to not be fingerprinted when not accused of a crime is just ever so much more important than finding out who sent these letters, and you know, just maybe preventing someone getting hurt or even killed. So glad to see your priorities are nice and straight. We certainly would not want to offend these reporters' delicate sensibilities by subjecting them to the terrors of ... assisting the FBI! Why, the bad guys just might happen to be non-white and non-Christian and would sue you for profiling!

"A nation without secure borders will not long be a sovereign nation ... No matter how much lipstick Washington tries to slap onto this legislative pig, it's not going to win any beauty contests."

This is who we need in Washington ... instead of political whores that will sell out to the highest bidding lobby.

Did you know that, according to some second-rate hacks, that not only can you not support the troops and the war against terror(ists) if you have not served in the military, but you cannot even speak of them?

Just in case the memo hasn't reached you yet, dear ... one does not need to be directly involved in a cause to support it. Just a word to the wise there ...

----
UPDATE: It seems that the web master of Knoxviews.com has little faith in his cadre of liberal hacks ... er, writers to defend their views and opinions from criticism and mockery, and is disallowing links to his site from certain others. To that I say, Oh Really?

We impoverish ourselves by shunting these heroes and their experiences to the back pages of our national consciousness. Their stories are not just boys' adventure tales writ large. They are a kind of moral instruction. They remind of something we've heard many times before but is worth repeating on a wartime Memorial Day when we're uncertain about what we celebrate. We're the land of the free for one reason only: We're also the home of the brave.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Devastation in the Heartland

The small town of Greensburg, Kansas has been utterly destroyed by tornadoes. The search and rescue efforts had to be suspended for a time because of new tornadic activity forming in the area with the arrival of new storms. The current death toll stands at 9 with the entire city of Greensburg (pop. 1500) left homeless. The numbers of the injured cannot be estimated yet, only that "Scores of injured people were sent to hospitals" and 95% of the city was damaged. There is nothing left there.

See-dubya at Hotair.com has posted, saying there will be updates on charity suggestions. Joni, who grew up there, has posted - Dear God, It's All Gone. She has a picture of what the town used to look like on there.

These people will need loads of prayers as they try to rebuild their lives. When I hear of any specific and legitimate sources for donations, I will update here.

... and I have to stop searching other sites for references, I am getting pissed off. I came across the Westboro Baptist Church response, in which they thanked God for the tornado. Then the Democratic Underground and DailyKos, who's commenters wished that the tornado had struck Crawford, TX instead (ie, wishing death upon the POTUS), blamed Bush directly or indirectly, even linking weather events to the election results from Florida in 2000. The derangement is truly amazing! The Hotair.com post noted above has examples from DU, Kos and other sites with similar thoughts and wishes of death and destruction. Disgusting!

I will update with positive and constructive information when I get it. For now, today, all we can offer is prayer.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

We Win, They Lose

Make your voice be heard. We will not accept defeat, we will not accept surrender.

Not now. Not ever.

"When it came to defeating the Soviets, Ronald Reagan made it simple: "We win, they lose." Now more than ever, the defeatists in Congress must hear that same message. America will never surrender." If you want to let your congressional representatives know that you want to win in Iraq, sign the petition:

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

My two cents

I suppose I am the last blogger to opine about the events that happened on the Virginia Tech campus this week. I haven't had much to say on it ... it is a horrific event of nightmare proportions. I have been reading what others write - about guns, about security, and even a comment stating that this is yet another example of how awful Americans are (Hey, doofus ... the shooter was not an American! Duh!) I won't even attempt to enter the debate. For one, I don't have the time ... nor do I have the emotional energy to address something this big right now. I will, however, throw this out there ... it is all about personal responsibility.

As a society, we have abrogated our responsibility for ourselves. We have become a society of victims waiting for someone else to do something. When that does not happen, we don't know what to do. We have lost our ability to cope with adversity, frustration and challenges. We have become wimps.

I think that is what led to the carnage at VTech. Starting with the shooter, who became unglued with whatever was going on in his life that he could not deal with it. To the inability of the students and staff to defend themselves (NOT blaming the victims here, blaming the situation they were in). Even much of the opinions being floated around are based in this victim mentality.

Think about it. Discuss amongst yourselves. I may expound further when it is not 1am the night before I have two exams due, plus a program to write by Friday.

UPDATE: This is beyond the pale -

WBC* will preach at the funerals of the Virginia Tech students killed on campus during a shooting rampage April 16, 2007. You describe this as monumental horror, but you know nothing of horror -- yet. Your bloody tyrant Bush says he is 'horrified' by it all. You know nothing of horror -- yet. Your true horror is coming. "They shall also gird themselves with sackloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads" (Eze. 7:18).

Why did this happen, you ask? It's simple. On April 16, 2007, this nation, through the offices of your military and conspirators therewith took a shot at the servants of God -- your marksman was limp and lame and he had terror all around, so he did a lousy job. But what you get for your trouble is that your God shot at you! The LORD your God sent a crazed madman to shoot at your children, and he didn't miss. Get this straight -- God sent this South Korean madman to kill 31 of your children at Virginia Tech. Was God asleep while this took place? Was He on vacation? Of course not. He willed this to happen to punish you for assailing His servants.

*Westboro Baptist Church

This is the Fred Phelps cult/group that calls themselves a "church" and has been showing up at military funerals to spew their hateful filth. I am beyond words right now. I will not link to their site, but if you really want to see what they are all about, any search engine will lead you there. These people do not qualify as human beings, in my view. I can only hope there is a special place in Hell waiting for them.

UPDATE II: Well, isn't this special - Slublog posted on this too, only:

The haters themselves have found my site, and linked it. In addition, they created a clever little code that is sending me all the mail they get. Wonderful.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Damned if we do, damned if we don’t

Just what the hell DO they want?!

Leftists in Uruguay oppose Bush's visit. Some in Latin America still blame Washington for tolerating brutal military governments such as the Argentina's dictatorship of 1976-83, when thousands of dissidents disappeared.

They remain wary of what they see as imperialistic tendencies in other parts of the world, such as Iraq.

Someone explain the logic of holding these same two views to me please. We were supposed to intervene with their brutal dictators, but not Iraq's?

White House press secretary Tony Snow said Thursday that while it is tough to ignore Chavez' verbal jousts, Bush was concentrating on his meetings with more like-minded counterparts.

"I know you want to make this trip about Chavez," Snow told reporters aboard Air Force One as it flew to Uruguay. "It's not."

On Friday night, Chavez led a two-hour anti-Bush rally attended by nearly 20,000 people at a soccer stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He called Bush a "political cadaver" and said he was on his way to becoming "cosmic dust."

"I believe the chief objective of the Bush trip is to try to scrub clean the face of the empire in Latin America. But it's too late," Chavez said on Argentine state television before the rally.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find [Me], when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity. - Jeremiah 29:11-14 [NKJV]